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  • July

    Lionfish were first reported off Florida’s Atlantic Coast in 1985, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website. Lionfish can reach up to 22 inches in length and have a venomous spine that can cause painful wounds.

    Lionfish continue to populate, pose threats to coral reefs

    Their dorsal spines and zebra-like bodies may draw one in for a closer look. Commonly used in aquariums for show, the invasive lionfish has made its way from the South Pacific and Indian Oceans to the east coast. In the past decade, they’ve been rapidly expanding from Florida to North Carolina, as well as the Caribbean.
  • Senior leaders from Jacksonville District listen as Emergency Management Branch Chief Aaron Stormant fires questions to the group during a Continuity of Operations (COOP) exercise conducted June 4. The exercise tested the COOP plan through a discussion on how critical operations would be conducted if the district’s headquarters building were inaccessible due to disaster.

    Jacksonville District prepares for potential emergency

    The exercise tested the COOP plan, which identifies critical actions that must continue in the event the district’s headquarters building was no longer inhabitable because of fire, flood or some other event.
  • The members of EMC Magnitude Design, Inc. at Booker Creek, the site of their award-winning water environment improvement design. Pictured left to right is Miki Skinner, Caitlin Hoch and Brett French. Team members not pictured are Erin Morrison and Josh Becker.

    Regulatory’s Caitlin Hoch and team headed to national competition

    Tampa Regulatory Office’s newest environmental engineer Caitlin Hoch has already added a pretty impressive credential to her resume. The recent University of South Florida graduate and her student design team, EMC Magnitude Design, Inc. took first place in a recent competition sponsored by the Florida Water Environment Association, beating 10 other teams from seven state universities. They will advance to represent the state in the national competition at the Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference this fall.

  • June

    Archaeologists Grady Caulk (left) and Wendy Weaver (right) conduct archaeological investigations at the 8.5 Square Mile project.

    Archaeologists help preserve the past, link to the future

    Archaeological evidence shows that the area that we now know as Florida has been occupied by man since around 12,000 B.C. Known as Paleo-indians, these inhabitants lived off of available plants and animals, including mega-fauna such as the mastodon or the 12-foot-tall giant ground sloth that once roamed Florida. Over time, Florida slowly evolved into what we see today, with climate and sea levels becoming more stabilized.
  • An aerial view of the Culvert 11 site shows the ongoing work to replace more than 30 water control structures around Lake Okeechobee, providing continued stability for Herbert Hoover Dike.

    HHD named Project of the Year

    The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Palm Beach Branch has given its Outstanding Project of the Year Award to Jacksonville District, for its work in designing and constructing the improvements to reduce the risk of failure at the dike. The award is presented annually by the organization to recognize the best example of an innovative or outstanding design/construction project in Palm Beach County.

  • May

    The Michael Allen Schultz Endowed Scholarship fund, established by Susan Schultz in memory of her husband, Mike, benefits deserving undergraduate engineering students enrolled at Iowa State University. The first scholarship was awarded this spring, and two more are planned for fall.

    One man’s legacy lives on through scholarship fund

    The Michael Allen Schultz Endowed Scholarship fund was created in 2012 by Schultz’s wife, Susan, in honor of her husband. The fund assists deserving undergraduate, civil, environmental, agricultural or biological systems engineering students enrolled at Iowa State University.
  • The result of successful stream restoration at a different site.

    Areawide Environmental Impact Statement addressing phosphate mining in Central Florida Phosphate District completed

    The final Areawide Environmental Impact Statement (AEIS) addressing phosphate mining in the Central Florida Phosphate District (CFPD) has been completed and released and a Notice of Availability is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register May 3.
  • Water Conservation Area #3 near the Tamiami Trail in late April. How to handle this water during extreme wet weather events was the topic of a meeting held with multiple state and federal agencies in preparation for the upcoming wet season.

    Water managers prepare for wet season

    A different challenge facing water managers this year surrounds Lake Okeechobee and a higher water level this year, when compared to the previous two years. On April 23, the lake level was 13.59 feet, more than two feet higher than it was on the same date in 2011 and 2012. The lake has stayed within the Corps’ preferred range of 12.5 and 15.5 feet all winter. As a result, the district has been able to provide regular discharges of water to meet a wide variety of needs, including releases to the Caloosahatchee Estuary to keep the saltwater-freshwater mix in an acceptable range.
  • During his recent deployment to Afghanistan, Robert Medlock (center) managed construction projects in Afghanistan, one of which was on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Shank in the Logar Province.

    Corps project manager sets future conditions in Afghanistan

    Robert Medlock, a 10-year veteran of Jacksonville District, just returned from his second deployment with the Corps in February and is now incorporating new skill sets he acquired while overseas into his management of Everglades restoration projects in the district’s Ecosystem Branch.
  • The giant African land snail (GALS) is considered one of the most damaging snails in the world, known to consume at least 500 different types of plants and possibly pose a health threat to humans.

    Giant African snails attack south Florida

    The giant African land snail (GALS) is considered one of the most damaging snails in the world, known to consume at least 500 different types of plants and possibly pose a health threat to humans, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) website.
  • Unexploded ordnance, found by a young girl on Culebra, Puerto Rico. Old military munitions are not always easily identifiable and should always be considered dangerous, regardless of their age, condition or location.

    Injury underscores importance of 3R safety message

    The potential for encountering military munitions on Culebra and in the surrounding waters is high, and the Corps consistently informs the community about that possibility while promoting safety precautions.

  • April

    Beach vitex leaves are round, silvery gray-green, have a spicy fragrance and purplish blue flowers. If beach vitex is spotted, do not dig it up; contact Jacksonville District’s Invasive Species Management Branch.

    Coastal menace from the Carolinas creeps towards Florida

    The rapidly spreading beach vitex, an invasive vine native to countries in the western Pacific, is creeping down the eastern coast from the Carolinas towards Florida, impacting beach stability and endangering sea turtles.
  • W.P. Franklin Lock volunteers measure twice and cut once when replacing re-planed boards in shelters.

    National Volunteer Appreciation Week

    Volunteers play a vital role in the success of the recreation and environmental stewardship programs at Lake Okeechobee and along the Okeechobee Waterway. Each year, approximately 350 volunteers provide more than 16,500 hours of service.
  • The “Flamboyán” tree, known in English as a Royal Poinciana or Flame Tree, is named for its flamboyant display of orange-red petals. The tree, planted by Corps employees in 1976, still graces the grounds of the Antilles office today.

    A brief history of the Antilles Office through the eyes of the people

    If the responsibility for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office in Puerto Rico was a dance, it would probably be closer to the currently popular “Harlem Shuffle” than a salsa. Though responsibility for the office was shuffled over the years from New York to Panama, then to Puerto Rico, and finally to Jacksonville District, the importance of having a Corps office located on the island has never shifted. Corps civilian and military activities in Puerto Rico include administration, coastal defense projects, facilities construction on military bases and flood risk reduction, as well as maintenance and improvement of inland waterways and harbors. Specific navigation projects have included Arecibo Harbor, San Juan Harbor, and Mayaguez Harbor in Puerto Rico.
  • Work continues on a water control structure replacement at the Culvert 11 site south of Port Mayaca. Jacksonville District plans to remove or replace 30 structures at Herbert Hoover Dike over the next five years.

    USACE begins Dam Safety Modification Study on Herbert Hoover Dike

    “The Dam Safety Modification Study is a comprehensive, system-wide study intended to identify risks in the system, and to recommend the necessary measures that can reduce the risk of failure,” said Tim Willadsen, HHD project manager. While certain sections of the dike have been studied before, HHD has never undergone a review this comprehensive and detailed. Each segment of the dike will be thoroughly reviewed for its geology and geometry, with particular attention given to scenarios that would cause the dike to fail.

  • March

    Everglades Day at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge brings many families and children like Sara Green to the Corps booth, where they spin the “Wayne Drop” wheel and learn about the Everglades and water safety.

    Reaching out in South Florida

    Reaching out to the communities we serve, to engage them by providing information as well as seeking their input on our projects and processes, is a basic tenet of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District. From formal meetings about the Central Everglades Planning Project to participating in community-based events, the Jacksonville District team is continuously engaged in a multitude of public interactions in south Florida.
  • After inspecting the channel at Cowbone Marsh, Regulatory Division issued a cease and desist order, requiring the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission to stop sidecasting dredged material into the channel.

    Cowbone Marsh to be protected through Regulatory Division action

    Located within central Glades County, Fla., eight miles upstream of the mouth of Fisheating Creek at the western shore of Lake Okeechobee, lies Cowbone Marsh, an approximately 5,500-acre freshwater marsh system. Fisheating Creek, the only remaining free-flowing waterway feeding into the lake, flows through Cowbone Marsh. Most of the surrounding land is either publicly owned or under conservation easements that restrict development, making it one of the most valuable aquatic and wildlife resource areas in the country.
  • Carlos Clarke (left) and Robert Meekie, Contracting Division, celebrate their victory as 2013 Brain Brawl champions. Photo by Christina Swanson.

    Close competition in the 2013 Black History Brain Brawl

    Jacksonville District divisions are about to go head to head in the 2013 Black History Brain Brawl. The defending champions, Regulatory Division, walk in and set a large trophy on the table in front of them.

  • February

    Jessica Spencer (left) of the Invasive Species Management Branch describes two new plants that have recently invaded Jacksonville, Fla. –Old World climbing fern and Saltcedar – at the 2013 Timucuan Science and History Symposium Jan. 25.

    Spencer discusses invasive plants at local science symposium

    In an effort to educate land managers and the public about two plants that are just beginning to invade the Jacksonville area, biologist Jessica Spencer gave a presentation at the 2013 Timucuan Science and History Symposium Jan. 25 in Jacksonville, Fla.
  • The Antilles is an archipelago or chain of islands, including several islands that are part of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

    Where in the world are the Antilles and Puerto Rico?

    Jacksonville District’s area of responsibility includes the Antilles and Puerto Rico, but some have only a vague idea of the location of the Antilles, its relationship with the United States, and what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does there. This first installment in a series provides a bird’s eye view of the Antilles.